Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-03-02


Before she could move or CRY out, h,
darted forward, and seizing her wrists
hisse1 in her ear:
Key to the safe, ma'am; give it (
me. and don't make cry, if you valu
your lifel''
His brutal touch awakened her to
sense of her danger, and a terrified
scream rang through the house.
Hal" lie cried. "None of thatI'
and one broad hand was placed owe
her mouth, stiGing further outcry.
She struggled in his grasp; but he
pUny strength was no match for his.
Quickly and deity he bound he
wrists and ankles. fashioned a rud
gag, thrust it in her mouth, and threw
her, trembling, upon couch.
Then, after an examination of tn.
safe, the housebreaker began to searcl
the room for the key.
He examined every nook and corner
but he could not find it.
His failure TO do SO angered him.
''She has hid it SomewhereI'' h,
growled.
And he turned to his helpless victim
with fierce fire in his eyes.
where's that key?" he cried, shak.
ing her roughly.
But the gag prevented her from an
swering, if she had been so inclined
and when his coarse fingers touched
her cheek and he removed the gag, Z
moan of fear and horror arose from hel
heart, and deadly faintneSs came
over her.
The rufIian noticed this, and ran tc
lie library window.
Its closern's a dungeon here" be
mattere1, at the same time endeayor
Ing 10 raise the lower sash of the win
dow.
Failing in this, he attempted to lower
the upper one, which also resisted his
efforts.
He finally discovered that broom
stick had been temporarily placed Sc
that both sashes We're held rigid.
With mutteTed curse, he reached
up and pulled out the stick.
To do this, he was obliged to stand
on tlptoe, supporting himself by clasp
ing the top of the lower sash with his
disengaged hand. The suddenness with
which the heavy upper sash fell when
the stick was removed SO startled him
that he involuntarily clutched the
lower frame with both hands. His
eight fingers were caught between the
two sashes as in a vice, and howl of
rcge and pain escaped him.
lie kicked savagely, breaking The
glass, and turning his head, begged
piteously TO be released.
The uprOar aroused Mrs. Gentry, and
her tender heart went out In pity to
the struggling, tortured wretch.
She tried TO loosen the cords which
bound her, but his skillful fingers had
drawn them too tightly. And when
he renewed his pleading cries she shook
her head and answered:
81 can't. You have bound my
wrists and ankles 50 tightly that can t
move"
Then the villain, finding that his
struggles to release himself only in
creased the horrible pains that shot
through his arms, vented his rage in a
torrent of fierce profanity.
tie was cursing and whining when
the door bell rang, and Mrs. Gentry
uttered cry of thanksgiving.
1t rang again, louder than before;
then she heard footsteps passing around
to the rear of the house.
Presently they sounded In the
kitchen, and She heard her husband S
voice, calling.
''Lllyl where are you?"
Here! herel" she shouted, with all
the strength of her lungs.
And then, overcome by the terrible
strain through which she had passed,
she tainted dead away.
in an instant George Gentry burst
into the room, and with one hasty
glance took in the situation.
II's first care was for his wife, who
revived when her bonds were cut away
aud some cold water was dashed III her
face.
She was Just stammering out her
story, when Michael who had been
detained by the breaking Of the car
Ilage, drove up with Matte.
The robber was half dead when they
released him.
His hands were in a horrible condi-
tion, the bones of the fingers having
been crushed between the sashes.
He made no resistance, and while
Michael hurried to the village for a
constable, sat sullenly on the couch,
closely guarded by the master OF the
Grange.
When Michael returned, John Sloan,
the station agent, came with him.
81 might have known that something
was wrong, Mr.. Gentry" he said,
when Tommy, who fetched your tele-
gram to Mrs. Gentry, did not come
back He asked me this afternoon for
permission to 60 to his Cousins, on the
other side of the village; and told him
If there was no answer TO the telegram
he could keep right on. He was hurry.
ing back to the station with the an
swer that Mrs. Gentry wrote, when
this brute leaped out of the woods,
gagged him, tied HIM hand and foot,
and took the telegram. He managed
to get the gag out of his mouth, and
when Michael drove by on his way to
the village, called to him."
The wounded robber. who proved to
be an old offender just out of prison,
recovered from his wounds, but his
hands were crippled for life, and he
went back to the prison for a long term
of years.
The next morning, Carpenter Pilsen
put in an appearance, ready to repair
the damaged window.
"I'd "a come over yesterday, Mister
Gentry" lie said apologetlcally, but !
cut my thumb bad with q pesky Old
adze, when was hewin' out aoor tim
Der for Squire Peters barn, and 1t bled
so bad that"
"I'm glad you didn't come," cried
George, fervently.